Worth



(No Model.)

J. E. HOBBS & B. M. WENTWORTH.

ATTAGHABLE SLEIGH RUNNER.

No. 595,851. Patented Dec 21,1897.

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WITNESSES: QJK

UNITED STATES JOHN E. HOBBS, OF NORTH BERWVICK, AND BARTON M. XVENTWORTl-I, OF

BERWICK, MAINE; SAID WENTWORTH ASSIGNOR TO SAID HOBBS.

ATTACHABLE SLl-II'GH-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,851, dated December 21, 1897.

Application filed November 9, 1891. Serial No. 411,415. (No, model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN E. HOBBS, residing at North Berwick, and BARTON M. VENT- WORTH, residing at Berwick, in the county of York and State of Maine, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachable Sleigh-Runners, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to facilitate the substitution of sleigh-runners for wheels on vehicle-bodies of all descriptions, and especially 011 those having doors or steps at the date th emselves independently to any unevenness in the roadway. I

One of the greatest objections to the use of hub-runners on fine carriages has been the liability of having the axles of the carriage bent.

The advantages of our construction are that the vehicle-body can be carried on runners at the same height from the ground as when mounted on wheels, because the height of a runner can be increased in proportion to its length. A length of runner can be obtained hitherto considered incompatible with their use on carriage-bodies with side steps ordoors. The upturned nose of the runner forms a spring or buffer in case of collision, relieving the strain on the axle and spindle. A fixed distance is maintained between the runners,th us v relieving the strain in turning at the same time that the independent rocking motion of the separate runners is not interfered with.

The runners may be made to conform to any desired gage of track by having the crossbar on which the hub is mounted of sufficient length and projecting inwardly tocause the runner when the truss secured thereto is bolted at its crown to the inward end of the cross-bar to track any desired distance inside the inner end of the hub. The latter should always be mounted on the outer end of said cross-bar. The crown of the truss may be bolted to the cross-bar inside the hub-bands on the inner end of the hub to make a wide gage. Te attain these objects by the method of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a runner adapted for use as a rear runner on a hack,landau,brougham,&c. showing a loosejointed extension connecting-rod attached to it. Fig. 2 is a view of one end of the extension connecting-rod, showing the coupling, screws, and hook.

The screw may have an eye formed in its end instead of the hook and be fastened by a bolt between the jaws of a suitable coupling to be fastened at any desired point on the hub-supports.

The runner shown in Fig. 1 is made in the proportions of seven feet length from nose to heel, with a bearing on the ground of five feet six inches, height to center of axle one foot nine inches, height of nose from ground thirteen inches, height of connecting-rod from ground thirteen inches. These proportions are not essential to the construction, but are recommended as producing the best results in practice in general. The runners may be constructed with any sufficient support for the hub-say with a VVentworth truss, (Patent No. 346,337, dated July 27, 1886,) or as shown in patent issued to John E. Hobbs, No. 448,430, dated March 17,1891,or as shown in the present drawings, wherein the cap-bar O is modified into a stay for the hub and carried down with the guard brace-barF bolted to it to the basebar B and then curved forward and bolted to the base-bar (if of wood) or held rigidly two or three inches from it by short pieces of interposed gas-pipe, through which bolts pass, (if of steel only.) In either case the cap-bar is carried continuously up over the nose or fore foot of the runner and down along the under side, so as to go below and cover-the end of the shoe S, The approximate semicircle thus formed by the depressed cap-bar and elongated base-bar allows abundance 'of room for steps, door in drop of carriage, &c., the needed length of runner is obtained, and the up- I turned nose forms a powerful spring to resist and reduce shocks that might otherwise break the axle. G is a cross-tie bar or extension connecting-rod extending from runner to runner under the carriage-body and either over or under the perch, but forward of the axle to which the runners are attached. It is put in place after the runners are put on the axles and its construction is shown in Fig. 2. It is made of a piece of gas-pipe G, of suitable size and length, having at either end couplings c 0, through which are screwed bolts 1) b'about four inches long, with their outer ends bent at a right angle to form hooks h hsay an inch long-the pipe, couplings, and bolts being all threaded, as shown in the figure, the screw-threads turning in opposite directions at the two ends, so that should one turn up the other would turn off. They may be prevented from turning off or on by setscrews passing through the couplings. The connecting-rod or cross-tie bar can be 1engthened or shortened and set at any point desired by turning the bolts 1) b in or out of the couplings c c. The hooks 7c hare then dropped through the eyes I I, formed in fiat pieces of steel attached by bolts cl (Z to, each runner between the cap-bar O and guard brace-bar F, as shown in Fig. l. The hooks h h are pierced near the ends at e e to admit the split pin 1), which prevents their jolting out of the eye. The runners can thus be adj usted to the length of any axle they are, to be used on, and owing to the loose joint secured by the construction of the connectingrod G-i. e., by the bolt 72, passing through the eye I-have sufficient play to rock on the axles independently, but are prevented from swerving from the track and straining or breaking the axles.

The latch L is intended to facilitate the attachinent of the runners to axles having a shoulder attachment for wheels instead of a nut at the end. It consists of a strip or bar of iron bent or stamped, as shown in the drawings, of a curve to suit the size of the hub and axle on which it is to be used. It is attached at one side tothe inner end of the hub by riveting it to the inner hub-hoop 0 by the bolt m, which serves for a hinge for it to work on. On the other end of the latch is formed a slot 3, through which the bolt m passes, holding the latch in place and allowing it to be lifted to catch the disk on the axle.

The hub H is an ordinary wheel-hub bored to fit the axle and recessed on the under side to receive and fit over the crossbar P, on. which it is mounted and held fast by the hoops 0 0, bolted to the cross-bar P and to the cap-bar C and the tie-bar F. The hubhoops 0 0 are formed of two pieces, one threequarters and the other one-quarter in length of the circumference, and bolted, the inner one to the cross-barP and cap-bar O and the first a piece of leather may be placed between the hoops and bars to fill the spaces.

The axle-rest R is formed of a bar of iron or steel bent in the form of a Y, the bottom of the cup being curved, as shown in the drawings, to afford an easy rest for the axle of the vehicle. The slot 8' is cut vertically in the leg of the Y and a bolt passed through it and through the cross-bar P and drawn tight by the nut 01., thus allowing the rest R to be raised or depressed, as desired.

The combined truss T T and brace M for supporting the cross-bar P and hub H and maintaining them rigid is constructed as follows, to wit: A steel bar is bent (relatively to the base-bar of the runner) in the shape of an inverted capital letter V, and on its sides are riveted two steel bars, left open at the top to receive the cross-bar P, which is bolted between them, as shown in the drawings, forming the limbs T T, which are bolted fast to the base-bar B, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner bars of 'l and T are slightly bent about half-way from the base-bar to the peak of the truss, as shown in the drawings, so as to allow tie-bars E E to be riveted between the barsof T T. E E are then bent outward and carried upand bolted to the cross-bar P near its outer endybut just within the hoop 0. The combined standard and brace M is composed of four steel bars 1 2 34, bolted together and bolted upright on base-bar 13,, between the feet of trussT T. The outer pair of bars 1 4 are bent outward at about half the height of M andcarried up and bolted to cross-bar P, just within E E. The inner pair 2 3, are carried straight up to the point or crown of the truss, and each bar is bent over and awayfrom the other so as to fit into the crown of the arch of the truss, as shown in the figure, and bolted to T and T, respectively.

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An attachable sleigh-runner constructed with the cap-bar depressed to the base-bar immediately in front of the hub or axle attachment and continued along said base-bar and over the nose of said base-bar, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an attachable sleigh-runner the combination of a cup-shaped axle-rest with a stalk or stem having a vertical slot to receive a bolt, as described, and the cross-bar P, and a bolt with nut, passing through both the cross-bar and the stem of the axle-rest, and means for tightening same, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture thecolnbined standard and brace M, composed of the four steel bars, 1, 2 3, l, bolted together; the outer pair being bent and bolted to P, and the inner pair bent and bolted to truss T, T, substantially asset forth.

4. The combination of sectional hub-hoops, formed in two sections, with lugs or ears fitted toengage the cap-bars, cross-bars and tiebars of attachable runners, at the ends of the IIO sections, and the hubs to which they are fitted, substantially as set forth.

5. In an attachable sleigh-runner the combination of the adjustable loose-jointed, connecting-rod, G, eye, I, cap-bar, O, tie-bar, F, double truss, T, T, combined standard and brace, M, cross-bar, P, and recessed hub, H, substantially as described.

6. In an attachable sleigh-runner, the combination of the adjustable, loose-jointed, connecting-rod, G, eye, I, cap-bar, O, tie-bar, F, double truss, T, T, combined standard and brace M, cross-bar, P, recessed hub, H, with the sectional'hub-hoops, 0, 0, substantially as described.

7. In an attachable sleigh-runner the combination of the recessed hub, H, cross-bar, P, combined standard and brace,M,double truss, T, T, tie-bar, F, cap-bar, C, elongated, elliptic, base-bar, B, adjustable connecting-rod, G, and eye, I, substantially as described.

8. In an attachable sleigh-runner the combinationpf the recessed hub, H, the sectional hub-hoops, 0, 0, cross-bar, P, combined standard and brace, M, double truss, T, T, tie-bar, F, cap-bar, O, elongated, elliptic base-bar, B, adjustable connecting-rod, G,-and eye, I, substantially as described.

9. In an attachable sleigh-runner having a hub mounted thereon to receive the spindle of an axle, the combination with said hub, of a tie-bar secured at its upper end to said hub, said tie-bar abruptly depressed from the point where secured to said hub to said runner and secured thereto, at a point forward of the means for supporting said hub, substantially as shown and described.

10. In an attachable sleigh-runner the combination with said runner of a hub to receive the spindle of an axle, said hub mounted longitudinally on a cross-bar supported by standards and braces secured to said runner, said 'hub provided with a latch pivotally secured at one of its ends to the inner end of said hub to engage with an axle, the free end of said latch provided with a slot, a bolt secured in said hub to receive the slotted end of said latch thereon and rigidly hold said latch in contact with said axle and said hub, substantially as shown and described.

11. In an attachable sleigh-runner, the combination with a hub mounted longitudinally on a cross-bar supported by standards and braces secured to said runner to receive the spindle of an axle, of a circular rest secured to said cross-bar near its inner end to receive an axle, the inner end of said hub provided with an upwardly-curved latch to engage with said axle, said latch pivotally secured at one of its ends to said hub, the opposite end of said latch provided with a slot to engage with a bolt in the end of said hub to secure said latch in rigid contact with the end of said hub, substantially as shown and described.

12. In an attachable sleigh-ru nner provided with means to receive the spindle of an axle,

side of each of said standards, said vertical standard having arms secured to each side thereof and projecting outwardly and upwardly and secured on opposite sides of said cross-bar and thereto at a point intermediate of the middle and the outer end of said crossbar, substantially as shown and described.

13. An attachable sleigh-runner having means mounted and supported on converging standards secured to the base of said runner for receiving and supporting the spindle of an axle, a tie-bar secured to said spindle-support, said tie-bar depressed from its point of attachment to said spindle-support to the base-bar of the runner and secured thereto at a point back of the beginning of the upward curve of the forward end of said runner and forward of said standards, substantially as shown and described.

14. An attachable sleigh-runner provided with means for receiving the spindle of an axle, said means supported longitudinally on a cross-bar secured near its inner end between the upper ends of two standards attached to said runner at a distance thereon from each other and converging to the sides of said cross-bar, the outer end of said crossbar supported by braces secured on each side thereof, said braces diverging laterally from said cross-bar and transversely and downwardly in the direction of said runner and secured to said converging standards at a point intermediate of the ends of said standards, substantially as shown and described.

15. An attachable sleigh-runner having means to receive the spindle of an axle, said means supported longitudinally on a crossbar secured near its inner end between the upper ends of the outer plates of a truss formed of converging standards attached at their lower ends to said runner, said crossbar resting on the crown or apex of the inner plates of said truss, said inner plates being secured to the outer plates forming said truss, the outer end of said cross-bar supported, between arms rising laterally from the sides of a vertical standard resting on the base-bar of said runner and secured thereon and the upper end of said vertical standard secured to said truss under the apex thereof, substantially as shown and described.

16. An attachable sleigh-runner having a hub to receive the spindle of an axle mounted on a cross-bar supported above said runner by converging standards secured to said runner and to the inner end of said bar, a combined standard and bracerising vertically from said runner to the inner apex of said converging standards and secured thereto, said standard having braces projecting outwardly and secured to the outer end of said cross-bar, a tie-bar secured to the inner end of said hub and to said runner back of the beginning of the upward curve thereof, a guardbrace attached to the outer end of said hub and carried down and transversely to said tie-bar and secured thereto, substantially as shown and described.

17. In an attachable sleigh-runner having a hub mounted thereon to receive the spindle of an axle, the combination with said hub, of a tie-bar secured to said hub at the inner end thereof, said tie-bar depressed from its point of attachment with said hub tosaid runner at a point back of the beginning of the upward curve of the forward end of said runner and rigidly secured thereon, said tie-bar provided with an eye at a distance from said hub to receive the end of an adjustable ex tension-rod to hold said runner parallel with a complemental runner of like construction to which the opposite end of said rod is attached when said runners are secured to the spindles of an axle, substantially as shown and described.

, 18. In attachable sleigh-runners, the combination with a sleigh-runner having a low, curved front end, of means for receiving and supporting the spindle of an axle supported above said runner by standards secured at their lower ends to said runner, and converging at their upper ends and supporting a cross-bar on which said spindle-support is mounted, a combined standard and brace secured at its lower end to said runner and rising vertically therefrom attached at its upper end to the inner side of each of said standards at their apex, braces projecting from said vertical standard and secured at their outer ends to said cross-bar, a tie-bar attached to said. spindle-support and carried downward and secured to said runner at a point back of the beginning of the curved front end thereof, substantially as shown and described.

JOHN E. HOBBS. BARTON M. XVENTWORTH. Vvitnesses:

CHAS. XV. GREENLEAF, V. F. NEAL. 

